We are pleased to announce that this bumper sale features 445 lots of tantalizing textiles and fashion from every decade and period. This sale includes two very different private collections: the first is a fashion archive which forms almost 200 lots of this sale. Carefully and lovingly compiled over several decades, the collection begins in the early 19th century, with every decade thereafter well represented, right through to the 1980s. With a focus on the 19th century, 1930s and 1970s, there are rails upon rails of Victorian and Edwardian fashions, glamorous gowns in lamé and velvet, as well as pieces by Ossie Clark, Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche and British boutique designers. As part of this single owner collection we include boxes overflowing with dazzling but damaged 1920s flapper dresses and 30s bias-cut gowns which are excellent as construction references or for use as trimmings or for repair. Sure to catch the eye of collectors and designers alike, this collection also features over 200 pairs of shoes - to be sold in group lots - which span a century of fashion history.
Lots 284-331 comprise the second exciting private collection: the wardrobe of John Cowell (part 1), featuring over 50 lots of superb menswear from the 1980s-2000s by Jean-Paul Gaultier, Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, John Galliano and others. These will appeal to museums and modern dandies alike. Mr Cowell is a costume designer and renowned textile artist specializing in hand-painted textiles, special dye effects and customized fabric treatments for both stage and film. During his illustrious career he has worked on films including ‘The Favourite’, ‘Gangs of New York’, ‘The Young Victoria’, ‘Mary Poppins Returns’ and ‘Star Wars – The Phantom Menace’, to name but a few. After each production was finished, he liked to celebrate by going shopping for some eye-catching menswear. Some ensembles were worn just a few times, others never. His reason for selling? He tells us he is now ‘too old and too fat’ and wants others to enjoy them!
For the final chapter of the sale - lots 405-440 - we present the second chapter of the late Dr Joan Coleman Shawl Collection, with good examples of Spitalfields, Kashmir, Norwich, woven and printed Paisley and Edinburgh shawls dating from 1800-1860s.
We hope you enjoy perusing this glorious treasure-trove of a sale. Do get in touch to request condition reports and to place bids. We look forward to hearing from you!
For more information on how to bid, please click here. If you wish to participate in live online bidding on the day, you must register via Invaluable here.
Lot 192 - A John Galliano red crêpe slip dress, A/W 1990-91
Sold for £800
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 193 - A group of Galliano's Girl separates, 1991
Sold for £360
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 194 - A large group of designer clothing, mainly by Jean Paul Gaultier, mainly 1990s
Sold for £950
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 195 - An Azzedine Alaïa blue velvet dress, probably 1990s
Sold for £240
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 196A - A Vera Wang ivory satin evening or bridal gown, 1990s
Sold for £900
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 197 - A Versace canary-yellow wool coat, circa 1999
Sold for £650
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 198 - An Alexander McQueen black faille jacket , 'Supercala...' collection, A/W 2002-3
Sold for £700
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 199 - An Alexander McQueen beaded black wool coat, probably 'Joan' collection, A/W 1998-99
Sold for £1,000
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 200 - An Issey Miyake hooded top, A/W 1991-92
Sold for £480
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 201 - A Yohji Yamamoto 'Calligraphy' tunic, S/S 2002
Sold for £500
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 202 - A Comme des Garçons three-piece ensemble in black, 2000s
Sold for £340
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 203 - A Comme des Garçons Tao Kurihara knitted and crocheted ensemble, Spring-Summer 2006
Sold for £240
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 204 - A Comme des Garçons Tao Kurihara mottled flannel dress and shawl, Autumn-Winter 2006-07
Sold for £400
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 205 - Two Jean-Louis Scherrer evening gowns, 1990s-2000s
Sold for £290
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 207 - An Alexander McQueen embroidered wool kilt-skirt, 'Eshu' collection, A/W 2000-01
Sold for £750
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 208 - A Pucci printed viscose dress with matching headscarf, 2000s
Sold for £160
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 209 - A John Galliano printed chiffon dress, Techno-Romance collection, Autumn-Winter 2001-02
Sold for £120
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 210 - A John Galliano for Dior embroidered white cotton T-shirt, 2002
Sold for £300
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 211 - A pair of John Galliano for Dior ski-sunglasses, circa 2004
Sold for £150
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 212 - A Vivienne Westwood "Devil" dress, 'Wake Up/Cave Girl' collection, A/W 2007
Sold for £550
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 214 - An Alexander McQueen ivory three-piece ensemble, 'Neptune' collection, S/S 2006
Sold for £650
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 215 - An Alexander McQueen red jersey evening gown, 'Angels and Demons' collection, A/W 2010-11
Sold for £750
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 216 - A group of brightly-printed designer summerwear, modern
Sold for £480
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 219 - A pair of Gucci Princetown leather loafers, 2017
Sold for £260
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 221 - Twenty-eight issues of British Vogue, 1954-56
Sold for £200
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 222 - Thirty-four issues of British Vogue, 1957-59
Sold for £320
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 223 - Eighty-three issues of British Vogue, 1960-65
Sold for £320
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 224 - Fifty-one issues of British Vogue, 1966-1983
Sold for £260
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 225 - A Japanese fan, autographed by Hubert de Givenchy, 1993
Sold for £280
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 226 - A Fendi mink fur coat, probably 1990s
Sold for £2,200
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 227 - A Chanel stone-coloured cotton gabardine jacket, late 1990s-early 2000s
Sold for £320
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 228 - A Chanel necklace, probably by Gripoix, A/W 1999-2000 HC
Sold for £460
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 229 - A Chanel houndstooth tweed suit, A/W 1998-99 RTW
Sold for £500
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 230 - A rare pair of Chanel 'camera lens' sunglasses, probably S/S 1998
Sold for £340
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 231 - A Chanel red wool coat-dress, A/W 1996-97 RTW
Sold for £440
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 232 - Sixty-five Chanel buttons, mainly 1992-97
Sold for £200
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 233 - A Chanel gilt chain belt with perfume bottle charm, probably c.1990
Sold for £400
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 234 - A Chanel ivory bouclé wool cropped jacket, 1990s
Sold for £300
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 235 - A Chanel cream bouclé wool oversized jacket, circa 1990
Sold for £550
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 236 - A Chanel couture puckered black chiffon dress with ruffles, circa 1980
Sold for £380
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 237 - A pair of Christian Dior navy satin shoes, 1980s
Sold for £160
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 238 - A group of shoes and boots, 1980s-modern
Sold for £130
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
